A WEST End Phantom of the Opera star has teamed up with a church leader and professional musician to record an Easter duet single.

Katy Treharne joined Abergavenny Gateway Church’s Rob Westall to record his song of lockdown hope ‘I will trust in you’, inspired by a Bible psalm.

And they have also launched a project for 1,000 community singers to join them on other tracks for an upcoming new album.

Father-of-three Rob, a former BBC journalist who now spreads the “Good News’ as a Christian recording artist, said: “The Coronavirus pandemic has affected many things across the world, including the way in which we worship and sing together.

“Our aim is to encourage people of all ages and abilities to take part and sing from the safety of their own homes – we need 1,000 at the very least.

“With your voice and our professional production, we will create a sound that has not been heard for too long - the sound of people singing together in unison!”

Rob and Katy have put together a web page with full instructions, lyric sheets and guide tracks and resources for anyone wishing to take part, with a private Facebook group that people can join too.

“We hope it is an enjoyable thing for individuals, friends, families, worship teams, churches, choral groups and choirs, etc, to take part in,” added Rob, who is director of worship at the Gateway.

Katy, who played the lead role of Christine Daaé in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre London for many years, says she is passionate about the ‘O for a 1,000 tongues to sing’ project and has even recorded vocal warm-up videos for participants.

“You don’t have to consider yourself to have a great voice to take part, this project really is open to everyone,” she said.

“There’s an end of album medley we’d like everyone to sing on, but there’s also an expression medley where we’ve let the music run, so people can worship and express their hearts to God with no restrictions.

“People are also welcome to submit recordings in their own languages too,” added Katy, who co-founded the West End Has Faith group and was due to tour with them just before lockdown intervened.

“We are excited to find out what this album will look and sound like and hope you enjoy the adventure and journey with us.”

He regularly gets airplay on BBC, Premier Christian Radio and international stations, and his first single from the 1,000 Voices project - Never Let Me Go feat. Bean Baker, co-written with his friend and guitarist Steve Quantick - reached No 1 in the UK Christian Chart.

That came after his 2020 single ‘Show us your Glory’ reached No 13 in the UK StepFwd Chart, featured on US Christian TV and was playlisted by UCB2, UCB Ireland and other stations.

He also featured on Kat Mills’ ‘Church Arise’ album (voted a top five Christian album for 2020), and during lockdown has organised online events watched by more than 42,000 people to date

Publicity for the new single, which is inspired by Psalm 46 and was released on Easter Sunday, says: “Katy delivers a stunning vocal performance in this powerful song for our time, which was written by fellow Welsh recording artist Rob Westall at the height of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“The stirring string arrangements, orchestration and guitar tones, combine with the duo’s heavenly harmonies to reach a crescendo of all out praise, to help the listener focus on the assurance of their faith in action and not the fear that may have surrounded them beforehand.”

The song’s message of trust in the face of fear struck a chord as they both lost all their bookings and gigs as the Coronavirus pandemic hit.

Yet their faith provided inspiration and hope for the future despite the trying circumstances.

Katy, who lives near Brynmawr, said: “People would say Phantom of the Opera would run forever, but little did anyone know that something like Covid would come along and the whole theatre industry grind to a halt.

“Things changed for us, literally overnight. The day before we were meant to fly to Ireland for some West End Has Faith shows, they were all cancelled as Covid cases rose.

“This year for me has been a real eye opener of an experience. Everything’s been stripped away. My diary was empty and I’ve had to trust in God even more.

“Even though people are starting to work towards dates in the summer, we can’t plan with any real certainty for the moment.

“That’s why this song struck a chord with me and I wanted to be involved.

“It is so powerful. The words, music, melody and production all combine wonderfully and I can’t wait for people to hear it.”

‘I will trust in you’ is the third single release from the 1,000 Voices album, following on from ‘Never let me go’ and ‘Jesus Rock on Which I Stand.’

It is available now from all regular streaming sites and to download from Rob’s website at www.robwestall.com/merch

To get involved in the 1,000 Voices project, call Rob on 07712 557320 or visit www.robwestallmusic.com/1000voices